Except as otherwise provided by law, an automatic lien for Maine estate tax, interest and penalties attaches to all Maine property (real and personal) owned by a decedent at death. The lien does not attach to any property passing by right of survivorship to a surviving joint tenant who was the decedent's spouse on the decedent's date of death. The lien continues until it is released by the Assessor, except that:
When a personal representative of an estate files a completed Certificate of Discharge of Estate Tax Lien, the Assessor will release the lien upon an initial showing by the estate that all taxes, interest, and penalties have been paid by filing Form 706ME showing any tax due has been paid or submitting Statement 700-SOV representing that no Maine estate tax is due.
18-125 C.M.R. ch. 603, § .12